The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Fireworkxe2x80x99.
The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Red Baron, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,162. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by the Inventor in March, 1997, in a controlled environment in Blanzac, France. Compared to plants of the parent cultivar, plants of the new Poinsettia have lighter red flower bract color.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings taken at Encinitas, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Fireworkxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Fireworkxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Bright red and sharply pointed flower bracts that are held somewhat upright.
2. Dark green leaves.
3. Compact, uniform, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.
4. Very freely branching habit.
5. Early flowering.
6. Excellent post-production longevity.
Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Poinsettia cultivar Peterstar, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,259. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Peterstar in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are taller and more uniform in plant habit than plants of the cultivar Peterstar.
2. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more freely branching than plants of the cultivar Peterstar.
3. Plants of the new Pointsettia have darker green leaves than plants of the cultivar Peterstar.
4. Plants of the new Poinsettia root more quickly than plants of the cultivar Peterstar.
5. Flower bracts of the new Poinsettia are shorter, narrower more pointed and held more upright than flower bracts of the cultivar Peterstar.
6. Flower bract color of the new Poinsettia is more crimson red than flower bract color of the cultivar Peterstar.
7. Plants of the new Poinsettia have longer post-production longevity than plants of the cultivar Peterstar.